Alfa Romeo 4C will be built in Italy at Modena

Maserati, the sports-car brand owned by Italian auto maker Fiat SpA will start to build the two-door Alfa Romeo 4C GTA in May at one of its factories in Modena, Italy. The Italian automaker estimates it will build up to 2,500 units annually.

4C GTA would act as a halo car for the brand, similar to the 8C Competizione supercar, though at a much more affordable price. A Porsche Boxster-like £$55,000 price tag is suggested. Power for this feather weight will come from a direct-injection 1750-cmc 4-cylinder making 250-hp.

Maserati, which presented its latest plans to staff earlier in the day, said it aims to reach 50,000 unit sales a year by 2015—a sizeable change from the 6,159 it sold in 2011, when it earned a €40 million ($52.7 million) operating profit.

In addition to the small 4C GTA, Maserati plans to expand production with a new large sedan that will compete against BMW AG’s 5 Series or Audi A6, and will reportedly be based on a Chrysler platform. Its new sales targets take Maserati out of a niche market, and shifts its manufacturing away from its handcrafted roots.

Maserati’s model range currently comprises the GranTurismo two-door coupe, which has a convertible version, and the Quattroporte luxury sport sedan.

Maserati has already said it plans to launch a new SUV.

An Alfa Romeo sedan, in the D segment, will be manufactured in the U.S., Fiat executives said at the Geneva car show.